24 April, 2013

Newborn Photo Shoot

I belong with you, you belong with me, you’re my sweetheart.

THE LUMINEERS

As my life and blog evolve, it’s all about my little boy. I am still trying to figure out what this means for my brand, but with so many family and friends wanting updates on this little guy, I can’t help but want to share every tiny detail. While most moms use weeks to determine their baby’s age, I can use the first of each month to mark his milestones (since he was born on January 1st). Coming up on the four-month marker, I wanted to take a chance and look back at his first week of life, and finally share the beautiful pictures taken by Ely Fair Photography. Here are my Top 10 favorites in black and white:

Ely Fair Photography

Ely did a phenomenal job, and she was so sweet to come out on such short notice. Another one of my favorite pictures, is one that Chris took of me and Easton. Having just given birth, I was looking pretty scary ~~like I was still pregnant~~ during his first photo shoot, so my sweet husband captured a more flattering angel.

See, you can barely see my double chin in this picture. Pretty impressive stuff for a guy that isn’t used to holding a camera. I’ve been putting things off like the plague these days (blogging, cleaning house, ordering baby pictures, working out, discovering the perfect hair style to hide my bald spots, etc.), but I am actually happier not putting so much pressure on myself. With the amount of hair I am losing due to my wacky hormones, I want to live as stress free as possible. See what I’m dealing with.

Yikes!!! I never thought I would be balding before my husband. The internet claims it will come back someday, but I’m skeptical. This baby is lucky he is so adorable.

What’s the weirdest thing about your body after baby?

27 March, 2013

Foxy Easter Basket

Easter is the only time of the year when it’s perfectly safe to put all your eggs in one basket.

UNKNOWN

With the addition of Easton to our family, holidays feel a little more special. I know it will be awhile until he can remember celebrating, but that’s not going to stop me from going all out. Plus, it gives me an excuse to go shopping for things for me the baby. I love me some Dr. Seuss, so I knew I wanted to add a book to our collection. We already have Green Eggs and Ham, and using that as a theme for E’s basket would have been a little too obvious for Easter, so instead I picked up the Fox in Socks book. After scoring an adorable, super cheap Fox Basket at Target (I think it was $2.50), the plan was hatched for a…

While shopping, I got a pair of socks (that complete a dapper romper look from Uptown Kids), some aviators that the Beetles would totally rock, gooey goo for chewing (AKA chocolate for mom…which later makes a chocolate milkshake for baby), and some dish soap for washing bottles (which are typically for breast milk, but you could totally put a fox and some beetles in there). Unfortunately, the finger puppets could not be tied to the book. I just thought they were cute.

1. Little Fox Easter Basket, 2. Circo Aviator Sunglasses, 3. Dr. Seuss’s Fox in Socks, 4. Easter Finger Puppet Set, 5. Petit Lem Romper and Socks Set, 6. Cadbury Mini Eggs, 7. Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg, 8. Mrs. Meyer’s Liquid Dish Soap

I’m so excited to spend this weekend with my Little Easter Bunny!

What are you hoping for in your Easter Basket?

20 March, 2013

What’s in my Diaper Bag

Diaper backward spells repaid. Think about it.

MARSHALL MCLUHAN

We are quickly approaching the 3-month mark in our household, and there are some things I couldn’t live without. Here is what I’m currently rocking in my diaper bag:

1. Huggies Little Snugglers: It’s scary how many diapers we have gone through. So far, my favorite have been the Huggies Little Snugglers. They have an umbilical cutout in their newborn diapers, and I trust them the most for my baby’s blowouts.

2. Kate Spade Travel Wallet: This wallet is great because it is large enough that it holds all my essentials, is easy to find in my diaper bag, and can double as a clutch for quicker trips.

3. iPhone 4S: I love my DSLR camera, but taking pictures on the iPhone is just easier. Plus, it’s nice to have during the eight plus hours of nursing to browse the web.

4. Aden + Anais Burpy Bib: Not only can this be used as a bib, but you can also throw it over your shoulder to burp the babe. Diaper bags only have so much room, so bring things that pull double duty.

5. Pampers Sensitive Wipes: The more wipes the better in the diaper bag. You never want to find yourself in a situation without them…because I almost did. I’ll save you the gory details.

6. me4kidz Little Buddy Antibacterial Wipes: Pacifiers have a way of landing on the floor every few minutes, and diaper changes can get pretty dirty. These are my best friends.

7. Zutano Baby Footie: Having a change of clothes in a diaper bag is a must. I’ve mentioned a few times how much I love the Zutano brand. For my baby’s age, the footies are perfect for all-day wear.

8. Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover: After three months, you would think I was a nursing pro, but when it comes to doing it in public, I need all the help I can get.

9. Sophie the Giraffe Teether: My baby’s still in a fairly sleepy stage, so we haven’t really needed toys to entertain him. My go-to toy, when we do, is Sophie the Giraffe. The squeaks preoccupy babies, as well as dogs.

10. Luna Bar LemonZest: At least five times a day, I enter a phase of starving…must eat now. Luna Bars are easy to grab in a pinch, and the LemonZest flavor is amaze balls.

11. Nuk Pacifier: My good friend mentioned how much her baby loves Nuk Pacifiers, and we switched without looking back. Our baby can’t get enough of them.

12. Aden + Anais Swaddling Cloths: These lightweight cloths are perfect for swaddling, but we also love to use them to cover the car seat. They are so lightweight, that we take them everywhere.

What’s in your diaper bag?

13 March, 2013

One Day with a 10-Week Old Baby

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY

On Saturday, November 18, 2012, I documented One Day a day in my life while I was pregnant. Since things have changed a bit since then, I wanted to document One Day with a 10-Week Old Baby. Here is what it looked like on March 12, 2013:

6:30am / Living on baby time, our day begins when Easton decides it’s time to wake up. By now, Chris has left for work, and, thankfully, taken out the dogs. Easton likes to eat right away. Then we tackle the dirty diaper. Afterwards, he is content to play and nap in his bouncer until his next feeding.

7:30am / Everyone is still exhausted from the previous night’s feedings, but Mama is happy to have some time to eat breakfast, catch up on my favorite blogs and shower, while the baby’s asleep.

9:30am / After the second feeding, we are out the door and headed to the bank to set up a new account for Easton. While dad is at work, we usually have four windows of opportunity to plan our day around. More than likely it’s a trip to Target. Today, we were excited to go see our friends at the bank.

11:30am / It’s lunchtime for the baby. Feedings usually take about 30-45 minutes, followed by about an hour of wake time activities. We try to follow the Baby Wise book schedule as close to possible. I’m a little behind on taking E’s two-month pictures, so we pop on a white onesie and head upstairs for a photo shoot.

1:00pm / The memory card, on my camera, is literally full, which means it’s naptime. Doug the pug is dying to get in on the action, so with my back turned, he leaps into the crib to try and steal Sophie the Giraffe.

2:30pm / The nap was shorter than expected, so I am just now getting to my lunch. I opt for something quick and easy.

3:00pm / It’s crazy nice out, so I decide to take both dogs and the baby on a walk. Even though it’s in the sixties, I bundle the heck out of that baby, and then top him with a heavy blanket. There’s no chancing a cold in this house.

3:30pm / We are home from our walk. The dogs have officially peed on everything in the neighborhood. Baby is asleep, so we do NOT wake him. He’ll stay napping in the car seat.

4:00pm / Taking advantage of the nap, I head to the kitchen to prep some healthy breakfasts for the week. Lately, we’ve had a lot of breakfast burritos and oatmeal. Today, it’s Tailgate Egg Sandwiches with turkey sausage.

4:30pm / Time to start thinking about what to fix for dinner. Chris gets annoyed that most meals are planned around what needs to be used up in the fridge, but he can’t complain too much about meatloaf. I use a traditional Betty Crocker recipe, but I add my own twist, Popeye style, by throwing in some leftover spinach.

5:15pm / Easton’s had his dinner, and I realize we haven’t gotten in any tummy time for the day. I break out his favorite floor mat, and we alternate from tummy to back for about thirty minutes.

5:45pm / Chris usually gets home around this time each day, and we eat dinner together, usually watching something funny that has been pre-recorded. I totally forgot that he was planning on picking up a jogging stroller tonight, so it’s just E and me. I take advantage of the swing, letting him nap. I eat…quickly.

7:00pm / Every other night, Easton gets a bath. This is Dad’s special time with him, and he loves it, especially since Dad bought a space heater for the bathroom. Even though Dad is not home, we cannot ignore the bath. There is some major spit up building on that boy.

7:30pm / Smelling fresh of lavender, I put on E’s pajamas and we head downstairs for some cuddle time.

8:30pm / After reading a book with Doug and E on my lap, it’s time for the final feeding before bed. Doug is slowly coming around to the fact that the baby takes top priority, but he still tries to weasel his way onto my lap any chance he gets. Dad’s home by now and enjoying some meatloaf.

1:00am / I don’t really need a baby monitor. I can hear him calling without it. It’s time to eat again, and Mom’s gotten a few hours of rest. We’ll be up at least one more time before morning, but when he smiles at me, I don’t even care.

A load of laundry was done during the day, but it didn’t get put away. I would like to say that my hair got washed, but that didn’t happen. We wish we would have got to spend more time with dad, but, apparently, we have a pretty sweet new stroller. Overall, I would say it was a fairly successful day.

Feedings are predictable. We try to make it out of the house at least once each day, usually after the nine o’clock feeding or in the early afternoon. There are no less than 10 diapers changed each day. I totally get why moms wear workout clothes. Ponytails are a staple in my house. I catch some crazy daytime television. Did you know there is a website to find the perfect co-parent? We still live for the weekend, when we can spend more time with Dad. The days come and go, but I wouldn’t trade one minute with my little man. I’m so grateful to be a stay-at-home mom.

Have you heard of the Modamily website to meet co-parents?

6 March, 2013

Painted Wall Letters

Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere.

UNKNOWN

I would say that I am a worrier, so the problem with becoming a mom, is now I have taken it to a whole new level. I’m not quite used to thinking five steps ahead, but I am starting to get the hang of it. Like when it came to hanging decorations above the crib, I knew that would either have to secure those suckers like crazy or choose a more sensible option. Though I love the Zinc Letters from Anthropology, it would be a catastrophe if one happened to fall, so I needed a lighter ~~and much cheaper~~ version.

Painted Wall Letters

Material:

Paper Mache letters (from Hobby Lobby)

Spray paint

Directions:

1. Choose letters for your wall. It could be a child’s name, descriptive word or even a monogram.

2. Select spray paint color. Hobby Lobby offered a range of metallic that would mimic the Zinc Letters I loved, but I opted for a bright orange to pop against the stripes.

3. Cover Paper Mache letter with spray paint. I did three thick coats of paint with no primer.

4. Enjoy!

Walking into the nursery, your eyes are immediately drawn to the bright wall letters. I just LOVE how they turned out. The room was really missing something until they arrived, which was obviously after Easton was born since he was still nameless. My husband made the ultimate decision to name him Easton, but it fits him perfectly.

Last week was a little crazy with Chris traveling to Houston, his 29^th birthday and then a trip to Kansas for E’s baptism. He sure looks dapper in a tie!

We enjoyed every minute with the family, and Easton finally got to meet his cousins.

Next on the agenda is a play date with my friend Abby’s new baby, who decided to finally show up on March 4^th. This was their first official meeting.